Michael Bisping has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled middleweight fight against Tim Boetsch at UFC 149 due to injury.

Recent UFC acquisition Hector Lombard will replace Bisping on the card for the event in Calgary - the Cuba-born Australian becoming available on Wednesday after his opponent for UFC on Fox 4, Brian Stann, was also forced to drop out due to a shoulder injury.

Bisping had been hoping to press his claims for a UFC middleweight title shot with a victory over Boetsch, but will now have to wait after suffering an undisclosed setback that will keep him from the Octagon in Canada.

Lombard, the former Bellator middleweight champion, will now get the chance to press his claim to be considered among the top contenders in the division as he makes his UFC bow against Boetsch.

The injury is poorly timed for Bisping, who revealed to ESPN recently that he was being strong considered for a title shot if Chael Sonnen defeats reigning champion Anderson Silva in their forthcoming fight.

"When speaking to Joe Silva, he said it all depends on what happens between Sonnen and Anderson. He said if Anderson wins, I might be sitting around for a while," Bisping noted, when asked about his chances of a title shot.

"So if Chael wins I might get to fight [for the title]. But I haven't been told anything official."